It is common today for electronic devices to utilize software in their operation. Examples of electronic devices that utilize software include computers, personal digital assistants, media players and mobile telephones. However, at times, it is desirable to change or update the software being utilized by such electronic devices.
In the case of computers, updated software, such as a newer version, can be acquired from a remote server through a downloading process. Once acquired, the software can be installed on the computer. The installation process of the software can be controlled by requiring the user to enter an alphanumeric key or a registration code. Without the proper key or registration code, the updated software is unable to be installed. Still further, conventional approaches for updating software on computers requires substantial user participation. The need for user assistance is problematic given that users are concerned about downloading and installing software on computers given the propensity of computer viruses that exist today.
In the case of portable electronic devices (e.g., personal digital assistants, media assistants, mobile telephones) that utilize software, the software is typically initially installed during the manufacturing process. As a result, when the user receives the portable electronic device, the software is preinstalled and the portable electronic device is fully functional. However, when the software needs to be subsequently updated or modified, in many cases, the software installed on the portable electronic device cannot be altered by the end user. More recently, some portable electronic devices permit the software to be updated. For example, a portable electronic device could be connected to a computer that could completely replace the existing software on the portable electronic device with updated software. One complication that results is that portable electronic devices often support multiple functionalities. These different functionalities can be controlled by different software modules which can be provided by different vendors. Hence, it is often not appropriate to completely replace all of the software on a portable electronic device. Consequently, there is a need to support software update techniques that enable different software modules to be updated without disturbing other modules.
Accordingly, there is a need for automated, secure solutions for updating software on electronic devices.